Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of JapanPraying for practical benefits (genze riyaku) is a common religious activity in Japan. Despite its widespread nature and the vast numbers of people who pray and purchase amulets and talismans for everything from traffic safety and education success to business prosperity and protection from disease, the practice has been virtually ignored in academic studies or relegated to the margins as a uh_product of superstition or an aberration from the true dynamics of religion. Basing their work on a fusion of textual, ethnographic, historical, and contemporary studies, the authors of this volume demonstrate the fallacy of such views, showing that, far from being marginal, the concepts and practices surrounding genze riyaku lie at the very heart of the Japanese religious world. They thrive not only as popular religious expression but are supported by the doctrinal structures of most Buddhist sects, are ordained in religious scriptures, and are promoted by monastic training centers, shrines, and temples. |
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... Fortune 156 The Place of the Gods 163 The Benefits of a Saint : Kōbō Daishi 166 Wizards The Diverse Gathering 170 176 5 The Dynamics of Practice 178 The Open Display of Desire 181 Purchase , Practice , and the Price of Benefits 182 The ...
... fortune . 13 While modern - day Japanese analyses of the influences of " religion " ( shūkyō ) discuss lev- els of faith and belief , they are also concerned with observance of ca- lendrical rituals and festivals , ranging from memorial ...
... fortune , business prosperity , and ancestor venera- tion in modern Japan - has in a way problematized more than it has clarified our general understanding of Buddhism . By providing a plausible " answer " to why such things happen , it ...
... Fortune ( shichifukujin ) , a popu- lar group of deities who are commonly depicted as riding together across the seas in a treasure boat ( takarabune ) with treasures and benefits they will distribute to those who seek them . The ...
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Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of Japan Ian Reader,George J. Tanabe No preview available - 1998 |